Course Title: Public Relations Writing for

the Media
Part B: Course Detail
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Teaching Period: Viet2 2014

Course Code: COMM2375
Course Title: Public Relations Writing for the Media
School: 345H Media and Communication
Career: Undergraduate
Campus: RMIT Intl University Vietnam
Learning Mode: Face-to-Face
Primary Learning Mode:
Saigon South- 2 hour tutorial, and a 1 hour lecture.
Hanoi - 2 x 1.5 hour sessions.
Tutorials will be interactive and inclusive of assessment materials.

Credit Points: 12
Teacher Guided Hours: 39 per semester
Learner Directed Hours: 72 per semester
Course Coordinator: Caroline van de Pol
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3552

Course Coordinator Email: caroline.vandepol@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Building 9, level 5, City Campus
Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment

Offering Coordinator: Timothy Costigan

Offering Coordinator Phone: +84 437266001
Offering Coordinator Email: timothy.costigan@rmit.edu.vn
Offering Coordinator Location: Hanoi
Offering Coordinator Availability: by appointment

Additional Staff Contact Details

Nguyen Thi Hong Phuong - Hanoi
Ramona Slusarczyk - Saigon South

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Pre/co-requisite is COMM1161 Introduction to Public Relations
Course Description
This course is an introduction to public relations writing, with an emphasis on the
reasons for, and approaches to, preparing written PR materials for print, electronic and
online media, including social media. You will learn about the basics of professional
writing, including technical issues such as punctuation, grammar and editing. You will
analyse common PR writing styles and types of media relations documents. The
course will focus on the importance of accuracy, style/presentation, content/relevance
and timeliness; and ways in which practice is evolving in line with technological and
social change.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development:

Capability development in this course contributes to the following graduate outcomes:
- high level verbal and written communication skills
- professional writing and presentation techniques
- ability to relate ethical standards to PR practice
- problem solving and analytical skills
- ability to research, plan, implement and evaluate PR project

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

- apply audience-specific PR writing skills within prescribed deadlines; adopting
appropriate style, accuracy, relevance and timeliness
- analyse written PR materials in a range of media
- discuss the process for completing PR document for the media
- demonstrate knowledge of current affairs and the news media landscape
- reflect on ways in which contemporary and emerging technologies and social
influences inform PR writing for the media

Overview of Learning Activities

A weekly lecture will introduce you to the PR writing for the media; writing tools in PR
practice; as well as the context for use of writing tools. Tutorials will build on concepts
covered in lectures and give you an opportunity to practise writing, familiarise yourself
with formats and discuss the media relations situations in which you would use them.
Exercises and assessments will be based on realistic scenarios you could expect to find
in practice. There will be both group and individual exercises to further develop ideas
based in classes.

Details of Learning Activities

PR Writing for the Media will introduce you to the world of media relations, including
practical skills for using writing tools and the contexts in which these may be used. You
will participate in a variety of activities involving both group and individual work. ICT is an
important component of this course, and as well as working on your writing skills, you
will also have the opportunity to improve your ability with relevant computer software.

Teaching Schedule
Please see Blackboard for the most recent learning schedule.
Overview of Learning Resources
All communication students are expected to be keen consumers of media. You will be
expected to read daily and weekly newspapers and watch and listen to a selection of
programs, and be familiar with relevant online resources all of which will be discussed
in class. The majority of reading for the course is from the prescribed texts. Additional
reading will be made available via the online learning hub (DLS), which will also be used
for selected assessments and class exercises.

Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts

Newsom D & Haynes J (2005) PR Writing Form & Style 10th ed, Thomson Wadsworth, Melbourne.

References

Other Resources

Overview of Assessment
Assessment is designed to evaluate your interim and end of semester progress toward
the achievement of the courses learning outcomes. Assessment tasks might be
completed within class time or in learning directed time and might include individual or
group assessments.Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.

Assessment Tasks
Assessment 1: Traditional Media Release and Media Outlet Analysis (40%)
The assessment will demonstrate your understanding of PR Writing course material. It
will require you to analyse your chosen target public for your media kit, and provide
relevant and up to date information about a publication that this target public would be
likely to read and how it supports your client.

Assessment 2: Media Kit (60%)

This assessment will require you to produce an online media kit comprising a range of
media relations documents collateral to professional standards. It will require you to
submit a traditional media release, social media news release, backgrounder, About Us
page and an email pitch based on a brief from your client.

Other Relevant Information

Assessment:
Submission of work for assessment:
Please check with your lecturer regarding any submission requirements including
Statement of Authorship requirements. Work may not be emailed to the course
coordinator unless the course coordinator specifically asks you to do so.

Late submission:
If you are unable to complete your assessment project, assignment or essay by the due
date, and you are seeking an extension of up to 7 calendar days, you need to apply to
the course coordinator. The course coordinator will consider your request and will notify
you within 24 hours as to whether your request for an extension of up to 7 calendar days
from the due date has been granted or not.
This Application for Extension is to be made using the form provided in the school site,
together with supporting evidence such as a medical certificate. The Application is to be
submitted to the course coordinator (by email or in person), no later than one working
day before the official due date.
However, if you are seeking an extension of longer than 7 calendar days, or if you are
seeking an extension for an exam, test or lab-based assessment, you need to apply to
the University for Special Consideration.
If you are unsure which application to make, please discuss with your program director.
If the course coordinator does grant you an extension of up to 7 calendar days after the
due date, or if the University does grant you Special Consideration, and you submit the
work within the time approved, you will not be penalised for lateness.
However, if you submit your work late without an approved extension, your work will be
penalised for lateness as follows:
5% per working day up to 50% / 10 working days.
Resubmission of assessment tasks:
The program team is committed to supporting your learning. If your assessed
project/assignment is at risk of failing, with a numerical mark between 45-49, you will be
advised of this by email to your student email address. In such a case you may
negotiate terms with the lecturer to resubmit an improved project/assignment for
reassessment, based on feedback provided to you. Such resubmission will be at a later
date determined by the lecturer with you and will be no later than two days before the
cut off date for entering of the semesters final results. Resubmissions can gain a
maximum possible grading of 50% PA.
You can expect to have your assessed work returned to you within 3 weeks of
submission, except at the end of semester when you will be instructed by the Academic
Services Manager when it is appropriate to come in and pick up your final assignments
from the previous semester.
Feedback on assessment:
Feedback will be provided both in written and verbal form throughout the semester.
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is a serious academic offence and it is your responsibility as a student to be
familiar with the Universitys Policy and Procedure related to Plagiarism. It is essential
that you refer to the Important Information link at the start of Part B of every course
guide. This link takes you to a section titled Academic Integrity, which includes
information about Plagiarism (what it means, and the process and range of academic
penalties when it is identified).Please refer to the student diary or RMITs intranet to seek
further information about assessment grades, cover sheets, plagiarism, submission of
tasks, return of tasks, late work, extensions, special consideration, evaluation and

feedback and other policies and procedures.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview